When Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green saw reporters approaching his locker Monday morning, he no doubt expected to be asked about the team picking up the club option for a fifth year, a move that was made last Monday and will pay the Pro Bowl wide receiver a reported $10.176 million in 2015, well above the $3 million salary he is due in 2014.

But it’s doubtful Green expected what followed, which were questions about the controversy surrounding Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling and his alleged racist remarks.

Whether or not he was surprised by the question, Green did not back away from it.

Here is the transcript from his brief interview Monday as the Bengals began their second week of voluntary offseason workouts at Paul Brown Stadium.

What are your thoughts about the fifth-year option getting picked up?

“It’s good. It’s fine. It’s just something with the new CBA. It’s a good thing they picked it up. It would have been a bad thing they didn’t. I knew it was coming, so that’s whatever.”

You put on muscle. Is that to compete better with corners?

“Just a little bit. It’s about just continuing to stay healthy. That’s the only thing. Don’t take any offseasons off. Just continue to try and stay healthy.”

How did the first week back go?

“It’s good. Like I say, it’s good to get back with the guys and to be back in the swing of things.”

What are your thoughts on Donald Sterling and Clippers?

“It was tough, man. It’s tough for the Clippers players. That’s a tough decision of whether you’re going to play or not, or if you’re going to play for somebody who makes those kind of comments. But I feel like Doc Rivers, he’s a guy who really handled that whole situation well. I think they’ll be fine.”